Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The other Dallas Cowboys

As a native of Texas and a huge football fan, it probably wouldn't surprise you to know that one of my favorite books is "Friday Night Lights."

Buzz Bissinger was a pitch-perfect narrator about life in Odessa and unwittingly kicked off a new genre of "a season in the life" sports books that went far beyond the field of play. I love "Friday Night Lights" for reasons that have a lot more to do with that ol' Mojo Magic and Boobie Miles.

One of those is Bissinger's 15th chapter "The Algebraic Equation," which covered Permian's vanquishers, Dallas Carter High. My goodness, that team was a great story in its own right. (I must mention that I totally hated the movie's simple-minded characterization of the Cowboys; I thought those kids deserved much better than that).

Anyway, Carter went on to win the state title but later had it stripped for violations of Texas' no-pass, no-play rule. To honor the 20th anniversary of that team, the last Dallas public school to win a state football title, The Dallas Morning News takes a look back at that colorful bunch and their run to the championship.

As a sort of postscript, Carter will enter the playoffs this year at 10-0 and as the state's 5th-ranked Class 4A team. It'd be nice if the Cowboys could win that title back.

UPDATE: To be honest, I have no stomach for the movie or the TV show based on the book. They have little or nothing to do with the original story and, thus, I won't even allow myself to get wrapped up in it.

2 comments:

avery said...

that joint was some powerful writin. his description of the use of the word "nigger" was particularly striking. it was what i would've said if i could've thought of it.

i wonder what boobie miles is up to.

blackink said...

This was the most recent link I could find re: Boobie's whereabouts -
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page3/story?page=turner/boobie/041006

I don't think much has changed since then because I seem to remember something relatively recently about him. Can't remember where I read it though.